Unfranked cover to “Poste Restante” counter at Athens, Greece from an officer (captain) with the XIB Hellenic Mountain Artillery Battery operating at Biletzik subsector area NE of Bursa on 23 June 1922 in Turkey (areas under Greek administration, 1919-22). Sender’s details (in Greek) on flap: ‘‘ΧΙβ Μοίρα Ορειβ. Πυρ/κού, Τ.Τ. 903” [11b Mountain Artillery Battery, Postal Sector 903].
Addressee is Miss Georgia Despotopoulou, known along with her two sisters Nefeli and Ioanna for having kept correspondence with Greek enlisted men in all fronts from 1912 (Balkan Wars) to 1923 (shortly after the expedition to Turkey).
[The large handwritten pencil number “123” on cover indicates addressee’s incoming serial number, placed on each new letter received and filed for reference in arithmetical progression as each letter was always answered later.]
Postmarked for despatch with “ΤΑΧ. ΤΟΜ. 903 / 23 ΙΟΥΝ. 22” military date-stamp [(Greek) Army Postal Sector 903, 23 June 1922] allotted to XI Infantry Division.
Backstamped with mc ΑΘΗΝΑΙ 1.ΙΟΥΛ.22 ΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΟΝ [Athens civil Central PO, 1 July 1922] on arrival at destination, plus the same day s.r. “ΑΘΗΝΑΙ 1.ΙΟΥΛ.22 (ΑΦΙΞΙΣ)” [Athens Arrival, 1 July 1922] for delivery to its “Poste Restante” counter.
All dates in Julian calendar.
Item condition: Good; rough opening. See scans.